The present invention relates generally to compressed gas projectile accelerators and associated projectile equipment. More particularly, configuring compressed gas projectile accelerators and/or the associated projectile equipment to allow users to more effectively engage differing targets and/or opponents.
In the sport of paintball, the maximum velocity at which projectiles are permitted to be expelled from the barrel of a paintball gun or marker is tightly controlled in both recreational and tournament play. Most tournaments and recreational paintball venues only permit a paintball marker to shoot paintballs at a maximum speed of 300 feet per second (“FPS”). All markers are subjected to testing by chronographs before and sometimes after a tournament round or match. Some tournaments even randomly take chronograph readings of players' markers during actual tournament play. Shooting a hot marker, one that shoots paintballs at over 300 FPS, can subject a player or team to disqualification, a loss of points, or the player not being allowed on the field.
Current paintball markers provide various methods to adjust the speed at which a projectile is expelled from the marker. However, once the speed of the marker is adjusted to just below the maximum permitted velocity setting, the marker is not capable of being easily readjusted without the use of a tool, such as an allen wrench. Carrying tools that can be used to adjust marker velocity settings onto the field is strictly prohibited. As such, the paintball marker is only capable of being adjusted to operate on the field at one set velocity setting.
Further, current paintball markers do not provide a method to adjust the speed of the projectiles that is automatic and/or automated. Furthermore, current paintball markers do not provide an automatic and/or automated velocity adjustment method that does not allow the user to exceed a selected upper velocity limit.
Also, current paintball marker barrels do not provide a method to adjust and/or control the speed of the expelled projectile. As such, current paintball markers with current barrels are only capable of expelling projectiles at one velocity setting.
While current paintball markers and/or current associated projectile equipment provide various methods to load or feed projectiles, with some of these methods compensating for a side to side tilt (i.e.—left/right tilt) and some others even force feeding the projectiles. None provide an automatic and/or automated compensation for a forward/backward tilt that is inherit in lobbing a projectile at a target/opponent.
In the sport of paintball, as the proficiency of the players grows, the pace of the game has increased. There by, amplifying the need for quick and easily understandable operational information and/or game information. While some current paintball markers and/or current associated equipment provide some operational and/or game information, none provide the user their overall information picture, a means of selecting the prudent information, and/or an effective means of receiving it.